FORT COLLINS – For a while last season, the Colorado State kicking game was in the capable hands of Ben Deline, but then he got hurt and Chad VanderMolen muddied the waters by kicking well enough in his place to warrant a splitting of duties for much of the season.

Now, however, that duo is gone and the Rams are forced to find a suitable replacement – or more – for the most unheralded, but extremely important position on the team. As an offensive coordinator at Alabama, now-CSU coach Jim McElwain saw firsthand what shoddy kicking could do in a regular season loss to LSU. Alabama’s place kicking improved in the national title game, and that helped win a championship.

Starters: Each has had his moments, but the placekicking competition is going to run through game-time on Sept. 1, McElwain said. The three candidates are freshman Keenan Adams, sophomore Jared Roberts and freshman Hayden Hunt – both walk-ons. Punter Pete Kontodiakos is the starter, unchallenged, as the returning all preseason all-Mountain West selection.

FORT COLLINS – One of the more interesting developments over the course of Colorado State’s season has been blurring placekicking lines.

Incumbent Ben DeLine was replaced by Chad VanderMolen after his first kick was blocked against UTEP. Since then, VanderMolen has handled field goal and point-after attempts while DeLine has been the kickoff specialist.

The only certainty, as CSU prepares for its game on Saturday against San Diego State, is DeLine will continue kicking off. Field goals? That’s another matter. That decision is being made today or perhaps prior to game time.

“The thing that we worked on with Ben last week was consistency and faster time,” said assistant Larry Lewis, who coaches special teams. “Chad has been a little more consistent lately. The way I feel, I think it’s wide open.”

The two have been competing this week for the chance to be the guy that trots out onto the field for a field goal try. According to Lewis, VanderMolen might have had that job wrapped up had he made a 47-yard attempt – the last of three field goals – at UNLV two weeks ago. But he didn’t, and the competition was re-opened.

On the season, DeLine has made 4-of-8 field goals, but has struggled in the 40-49 range making just 1-of-4 tries. His season long is 42 yards. VanderMolen is 3-of-4 this season, which includes going 1-of-2 in the 40-49 range. Neither kicker has tried a field goal of 50 yards or longer.

“I think the competition has been good for both of them,” Lewis said.

Follow Chris Dempsey on Twitter @dempseypost or email him at cdempsey@denverpost.com

Newcomers: None. Brought in an All-America a year ago in current sophomore Pete Kontodiakos.

Biggest losses: None.

Strengths: Kontodiakos has had a year to adjust to the college special teams rush as well as punting at altitude.

Weaknesses: The Mountain West is a punter’s league, owing in part to high altitude of the Front Range and Utah schools. Kontodiakos’ 40.9 yard average was eighth among nine starting MWC punters. He needs to improve his consistency.

What to look for: Kontodiakos has a booming leg and plenty of hang time. He will only improve. Placekicker Chad VanderMolen serves as a backup.

Colorado State kicker Ben DeLine drills the opening kickoff against Colorado last season. John Leyba, The Denver Post

In the fifth part of a series of look-aheads at Colorado State’s 2010 season, broken down by units, we look at the Rams kicking game …

Newcomers: There are no placekickers in the recruiting class. Walk-ons could surface later.

Biggest losses: None.

Strengths: Junior Ben DeLine is battle tested. He held off an upset by Sacramento State as a freshman with time expiring. There is also competition in camp from returning walk-on Chad VanderMolen who handled kickoffs last year.

Weaknesses: Opponents averaged 24.2 yards a kickoff on the Rams.

What to look for: Personnel wise it should be the status quo this year. Both kickers have been accurate in practice.

Colorado State’s special teams have been solid (punting, place-kicking) to exceptional (Dion Morton’s league leading 27.8 yard kickoff return average.) The kickoffs have been abysmal, averaging just 58.8 yards.

Special teams coach Larry Lewis has juggled walk-on Chad VanderMolen and placement kicker Ben DeLine to no avail. If launching the ball all the way to the end zone is too much to ask, he’d settle for the 5 or 10 yard line.

Oddly, despite the booming leg of punter Pete Kontodiakos, he’s not suited for kickoff duties. It’s not that Lewis hasn’t tried with Kontodiakos.

“Every place I’ve been, the punter is the kickoff guy,” Lewis said Monday. “He just isn’t the guy.”

Defensive coordinator Larry Kerr hasn’t lost his sense of humor, either. Asked how defensive end Ty Whittier manages to dry his impressive mane despite a neck stinger that has sidelined him, the follically-challenged Ker said he’s had that problem, too.

Incidentally, Kory Macon and Zach Tiedgen are earning praise from Kerr at the DE position.

Is it just me or were the Denver Broncos wearing the world’s worst Wyoming-wanna be uniforms Sunday?

To no one’s surprise, Utah’s Robert Johnson is the Mountain West defensive player of the week after intercepting three CSU passes Saturday.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.